How Jalen Carter dropped down NFL Draft boards

Over the past two years, Jalen Carter, the decorated lineman from Georgia, established himself as top-of-the-line defensive players to come back through the NFL Draft in recent history. 

After receiving first-team AP All-American and first-team All-SEC honors and helping the Bulldogs to 2 straight national championships, draft experts had Carter as a consensus top-five pick — and potentially, the highest overall selection.

But after legal problems and a troubling showing at his pro day, Carter, 22, has been falling on prospect boards, leading some to take a position that he could drop out of the highest 10 — or further — within the 2023 NFL Draft, which begins Thursday with the primary round. 

That’s despite the likes of Mel Kiper Jr., Mina Kimes and plenty of others declaring him essentially the most talented player within the draft. 

After a solid sophomore season that earned him second-team All-SEC honors, Carter dominated during his junior yr despite coping with injuries. 

Carter, a Apopka, Fla. native, notched 32 tackles, seven for loss, three sacks and two forced fumbles while playing in only 13 games. 

Scouts say Carter features elite speed and quickness for a player along with his 6-foot-3, 300-plus-pound body, which should help him translate to a dominant interior defender against the run within the NFL. 

But questions on Carter’s character grew loud earlier this yr after he was linked to a deadly crash in Athens, Ga. on Jan. 14 following Georgia’s 2023 national championship win over TCU.

On March 1, Carter was charged with reckless driving for allegedly racing a vehicle carrying Georgia lineman Devin Willock and team staffer Chandler LeCroy, each of whom were killed when the automobile struck an influence pole.

The news of his arrest broke through the NFL Scouting Mix, which only brought much more attention on the prospect and compelled him to depart the event in Indianapolis to show himself in.

Carter would later plead no contest to a misdemeanor charge and get sentenced to 12 months of probation, 80 hours of community service, a driving class and a $1,000 positive.

Lower than a month later, Carter showed as much as Georgia’s pro day nine kilos obese, struggled with on-field drills and eventually suffered from cramping and cut out of the event early. 

While it’s unclear where Carter will land because the draft approaches, his agent, Drew Rosenhaus, has said his client was only visiting with teams picking in the highest 10. 

Draft experts have pegged Carter as high because the No. 3 pick to the Arizona Cardinals. 

Carter has reportedly met with the Chicago Bears and Philadelphia Eagles at No. 9 and No. 10, respectively.

Recently, Kiper Jr. said he won’t fall further than the Seattle Seahawks at No. 5. 

Whichever team selects Carter will usher in a tantalizing talent, but loads of questions with it.